In Georgia, the USDA is touting the benefits of napiergrass as a dedicated energy crop. a grass fed to cattle throughout much of the tropics may become a biofuel crop that helps the nation meet its future energy needs, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist. “Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum) is fairly drought-tolerant, grows well on marginal lands, and filters nutrients out of runoff in riparian areas,” geneticist William Anderson at AR told Phys.org.